Events for June 26-July 2, 2003

Some people think Bill Maher is a jerk, and his penchant for ruffling feathers and challenging viewers to think may have gotten his show Politically Incorrect booted off ABC last June. But Maher's bullshit radar is always on, which has to be commended in our current political situation. His one-man show comes to Carefree Theatre (2000 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach) to continue questioning the knee-jerk mentality of our country. His wonderful brand of indignant, irreverent, and unapologetic rhetoric was recently showcased in his Broadway show Victory Begins at Home and also landed him a new show on HBO called Real Time with Bill Maher. Show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $39.50. Call 561-833-7305.

FRI 6/27

Have you ever sat at a Slayer concert and thought, "You know, I like the music, but I wish these guys would just lose all the satanic imagery and talk about beating the hell out of people who piss them off"? Or maybe you've been taking in a Sick of It All show and suddenly thought, "Hmm... the screaming vocals and seething anger really speak to me, but it'd be nice if the music were a bit more 'speed metal'"? Well, my friends, if you answered yes to either of these questions, Death by Stereo is for you. Marrying hardcore and heavy metal for maximum volatile effect, the band has gained a small but loyal following of ass-kicking fans. On Death by Stereo's recent release, Into the Valley of Death, the group sounds meaner than ever, with song titles such as "I Wouldn't Piss in Your Ear If Your Brain Was on Fire" and "You're a Bullshit Salesman with a Mouthful of Samples." Given that in both of these songs, as with many on the album, the title's words don't actually appear in the song, one can assume Death by Stereo is being what they might call "witty," but it still sounds like someone didn't get enough hugs as a kid. The group performs at 6:30 p.m. with Over My Dead Body, the Young and the Useless, and Protagonist at the Factory, 2674 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $10 for the all-ages show. Call 954-564-7625.

SAT 6/28

As Sir Elton said, Saturday night's all right for fighting. But it's also all right for reuniting with previously incarcerated loved ones. How sweet it is. Well, as sweet as a hardcore metal show can be in West Palm Beach. Visit the Kelsey Club (700 Park Ave., Lake Park) as Stillkept celebrates the release of its singer, Turtle, from the Big House and the release of its new CD as well. Be warned, though. You don't know what prison can do to a man. Especially one named Turtle. Also performing are local metalheads One, Slang, Grumpy, Headcase, and After the Calm. Show starts at 7 p.m. and costs $10. All ages. Call 561-296-1407.

SUN 6/29

What with the economy being the way it is, you've probably traded in all your CDs by now, right? The big problem with that is that the CD stores buy only the good stuff. Once you've sold off everything, your CD collection is reduced to a few Kenny G albums. Well, if you're looking to replenish your supply, look no further than the Record and CD Show, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Airport Inn (2440 State Rd. 84, Fort Lauderdale). For just $3 at the door, you can peruse droves of hard-to-find CDs and vinyl. With any luck, by the time you're done, that CD collection will look as hip as ever. Call 954-815-7626.

MON 6/30

Court TV's not just for people with too much time on their hands and lawyers who can't leave their work at home anymore. The station's Mobile Investigation Unit pulls up to the Museum of Discovery and Science (401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday to show kids all the fun stuff that goes into tracking down vicious serial killers and rapists. The lab includes hands-on stations that reveal actual forensics technology as part of the "Digital Mystery Tour" event, in which kids help MIU lead forensics investigator Frank Lee Forensics track down the vile miscreant who stole a laptop computer. Visitors gather clues, including fingerprints, fiber, hair, and handwriting, to catch the baddie and put him behind bars where he belongs. That's one more laptop larceny brought to justice. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for children ages 3 to 12, and $13 for students and seniors. Call 954-467-6637.

TUE 7/1

American Hi-Fi opens for Sugar Ray, which in turn opens for Matchbox 20 at Office Depot Center (1 Panthers Pkwy., Sunrise) at 7 p.m. Once Sugar Ray performed as the first act at this year's Gulfstream Park series, which usually includes dinosaurs such as Kansas and America, we sort of assumed we'd heard the last of them. Guess not. As for Matchbox 20, we wish we'd never heard the first of them. In a perfect world, Matchbox 20 would be opening for American Hi-Fi. Stacy Jones, drummer for Letters to Cleo and Veruca Salt, pulled a Dave Grohl when he started the band in 2000. Taking over guitar and vocal duties and sticking Brian Nolan on the skins, Jones led the way for the group's eponymous debut album. This may not be the most stellar act out there today, but compared to the mediocre fellows American Hi-Fi opens for, the band looks like the saviors of rock 'n' roll. Tickets cost $36.50 to $46.50. Call 954-835-8000.

WED 7/2

Despite Clematis Street's recent yuppification and Ray's Downtown Blues' running in the red, there might be hope yet. At least on Wednesday nights. The Lounge (517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach) offers a respite from the doldrums of Hump Day with Wormhole Wednesdays. Instead of the usual mind-numbing bass pumping out of most downtown clubs, the Lounge, in conjunction with the Honeycomb, provides underground, new wave, brit pop, and indie music that is actually -- gulp -- good! Enjoy drink specials, listening parties, and tunes from the likes of Interpol, Blondie, Les Savy Fav, RadioVago, Mates of State, Postal Service, Duran Duran, Radio 4, Trail of Dead, the Smiths, Pixies, Run-DMC, Mogwai, the Rapture, and Yo La Tengo to get your toes tapping and hips shaking. Call 561-655-9747, or visit www.thehoneycomb.com.

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